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Topic: Richard's snood (Read 1500 times)

Richard (our tom turkey) is an amazing critter. Those you who are familiar with turkey antics will recognize what is going on here. Sometimes Richard's snood is like a unicorn's horn, other times it is a hangy down thing. In all my observations of this dude, I can't figure out why his snood goes into that horn shape. His head, waddle and caruncles can change from grey, to blue to red within seconds.

I am curious why the snood changes shape, can anyone enlighten me here? Have a beautifully awesome and wonderful day, groove on our life. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

they move it when they eat and fight and it reflects there mood. Notice when he is strutting over to you it is all hanging down and when he is not or you pick him up it is small. It will shrink and get longer with his mood(ok ok Mind out of the gutter guys) Yes I also know there are some very bad jokes over the turkey snood. It is a really funny thing and it is all to impress the girls. Size does matter. lol

Angi, more questions. I understand the mood thing. But with the colour of the snood, caruncle and waddle, let's speak of these. I haven't quite figured that one out. These apparatus can change from all being a light grey to mostly blue to all completely red within a very short time. What does it mean when all these apparatus are that bright fire engine red? I would think the opposite colours would mean the opposite mood. So, lets just find out what the total fire engine red means? Relaxed or uptight? What fascinating birds these are, never would have dreamed that they could entertain me as they do. The turkey hen was protecting me from Whoppo the other day. Now go figure that one.

Yesterday, I was standing outside the fence of the chickenyard and Whoppo (the male Muscovy duck) was doing his usual deed of trying to intimidate me by walking back and forth along the fence and hissing big time.

Abigail, which is the bronze/slate X hen came over to him and started to make a sound that I haven't heard before. The hens can make several different sounds, beautiful sounds, and the sound that she make I can only describe it as a purring sound, but in kind of a high pitch. She walked around Whoppo and walked around him, making this sound, and then he put her face right beside his face and made this sound. This intimidated him and he walked away immediately. She followed right behind him making this sound, all the way over to the other side of the yard, and then she went on to pecking some stuff on the ground.

Whoppo was not done with me yet, he still needed to think he was king of the yard. He came over to the fence and started his antics again. Over she came immediately, walking around and surrounding him, making that kind of loud purring sound. Identical scenario. Finallly he left again, with her hot on his tracks, the faster he walked the faster she walked, I am not kidding. Finally when he was at the other end of the yard, she proceeded to eat stuff again. This happened one more time, identical.

I don't know if a turkey hen would try to protect me. But she certainly did not like what Whoppo was doing in front of me, that hissing and looking like he was gonna bite right through the fence. I eventually just left because I had stuff to finish off in the house. It sure felt like I was being protected by Abigail cause she sent Whoppo off in his tracks three times yesterday morning, it was very cool. Now I have a special bond with Abigail, she is now my friend, just like Isabella, the white chicken that lays brown eggs. She is one of the most friendliest chickens I have ever seen, and follows me around like a dog. (well, it couldn't be because I am always unearthing bugs and worms for her now is it? I give her special attention because she gives me special attention).

Wow, what a world I have entered and live in, the birds, the bees, no sugar loaf trees though, not on that Big Rock Candy Mountain, yet.......beautiful day in this beautiful life, many more beautiful things to come. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

Turkeys when they like you will think of you as part of there flock and when they feel that you are being threatned they will come to your rescue and help you out. The treo of turkeys I sold to a couple up in the mountains the tom will follow her hubby all over the place. And even when he leaves in his truck the turkey tom follows him and the faster he goes the faster the tom goes. He has made friends with the hubby. The hubby will stop the truck and put the tom in the back and take him back home. He wonders how they are going to be wild on there 150 acres like they wanted. She told her hubby that he was the one that had to go out and make friends with him. And now the hubby is friend. On the colors. They can change it at the drop of a hat most of it is mood and impressing the girls. Its size and color is what is key. I have noticed when they are stressed or mad they are more red. But they just change and it all depends on the mood. I have not really went out and analized it before. But I am sure there is someone out there on the internet that has written about it. But Turkeys are fun to have they each have there own personalitys and if you are apart of there flock you will be part of the family.

Angi, well I think that your thoughts here are very interesting. Yesterday morning the same thing happened with Abigail. Whoppo was threatening me again and she came over and warded him off several times, and so did the other turkey Hen, Madeline. So they both must think I am part of their flock. I feel honoured to be accepted by them, hee, hee. They are actually becoming very friendly, Abigail even moreso. I have spent several hours every day out there with them since they have come to live with us. The work that I have been doing outside mostly had been around the chickenyards, building and fixing things all up nicely. It is looking really good out there, if chickenyards can look good, hee, hee. I spend alot of time with the chickenyard critters and they are pretty used to me, and really don't paid me much heed. That is good.

When I was working inside the henhouse yesterday doing some renovating. Whoppo came in, hissing his brains out, in came Abigail and sent him right back out again. That was the clencher on my thoughts that she was indeed trying to protect me, she definitely is. Good girl. She sends Whoppo off in his tracks pretty fast. She is right in his face making that kind of purring sound and she won't let up, it must be very intimidating for him that way that he moves off. That really makes me feel good, my sweet, dear Abigail. And I heard that turkeys live for many years, so she will be my barnyard pal and protector, hee, hee. It sounds strange, but I am a rather strange woman.

That story you told me of your friend that befriended the turkey was pretty neat. You painted a really neat picture in my mind's eye, and I love that when people paint these pictures. I have been given a very wonderful gift of excellent imagination qualities, and I can be taken to places very easily in my mind's eye, and it makes me a happy woman in this regard.

Thank you for giving me these stories to read and listen to, taking me into other parts of the world, where I can read and go right there too. Have a beautiful and wonderfully awesome day, hope you are feeling well. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

The changes in his snood are caused by...you guessed it...the same things that causes changes in guys when they feel froggy. The increased blood flow to the area causes the object to become engorged and change colors with the rush of blood under the skin. This flushing is a signal that the bird is feeling aggressive or.....er, "romantic". :roll:

The changes in his snood are caused by...you guessed it...the same things that causes changes in guys when they feel froggy. The increased blood flow to the area causes the object to become engorged and change colors with the rush of blood under the skin. This flushing is a signal that the bird is feeling aggressive or.....er, "romantic". :roll:

Beekissed, now that was funnnneeee, you made me laugh that inward secret laugh, hee, hee. I don't think he is an aggressive bird, so he must be romantic, hee, hee. Beautiful day in this great life. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service